CVE-2018-17433 in HDF5
Summary
by MITRE
A heap-based buffer overflow in ReadGifImageDesc() in gifread.c in the HDF HDF5 through 1.10.3 library allows attackers to cause a denial of service via a crafted HDF5 file. This issue was triggered while converting a GIF file to an HDF file.
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Analysis
by VulDB Data Team • 03/27/2020
The heap-based buffer overflow vulnerability identified as CVE-2018-17433 resides within the HDF HDF5 library version 1.10.3 and earlier, specifically in the ReadGifImageDesc() function located in the gifread.c source file. This vulnerability represents a critical security flaw that enables remote attackers to execute denial of service attacks through manipulation of crafted HDF5 files that contain embedded GIF data. The vulnerability manifests during the conversion process from GIF format to HDF format, where the library fails to properly validate input boundaries when processing GIF image descriptions.
The technical flaw stems from inadequate bounds checking within the ReadGifImageDesc() function, which processes GIF image metadata during the conversion process to HDF format. When the library encounters a malformed or specially crafted GIF file embedded within an HDF5 container, it attempts to copy data into heap-allocated buffers without sufficient validation of source data length against destination buffer capacity. This classic buffer overflow condition allows attackers to write beyond allocated memory boundaries, potentially corrupting adjacent heap memory structures and causing unpredictable behavior including application crashes or system instability. The vulnerability is categorized as a heap-based buffer overflow, which falls under CWE-121, and represents a fundamental memory safety issue that violates secure coding practices.
The operational impact of this vulnerability extends beyond simple denial of service conditions, as it can be exploited to cause complete application termination or system instability when processing maliciously crafted HDF5 files containing embedded GIF data. Attackers can leverage this vulnerability to perform resource exhaustion attacks or potentially execute arbitrary code if the application continues to process corrupted memory regions. The vulnerability affects any system utilizing the affected HDF5 library version for processing files that may contain embedded GIF data, making it particularly dangerous in environments where users can upload or process untrusted file formats. This issue demonstrates how legacy file format conversion libraries can contain critical memory safety flaws that persist across multiple versions, highlighting the importance of comprehensive security testing in multimedia processing components.
Mitigation strategies for CVE-2018-17433 involve immediate upgrading to HDF5 library version 1.10.4 or later, where the buffer overflow has been addressed through proper bounds checking implementation. Organizations should also implement strict input validation and sanitization measures for all file format conversions, particularly when dealing with user-provided content or third-party data sources. Network segmentation and access controls should be enforced to limit exposure of systems that process HDF5 files, while regular security assessments should be conducted to identify similar vulnerabilities in other legacy libraries. The ATT&CK framework categorizes this vulnerability under T1499.004, which covers network denial of service, and T1553.002, which addresses execution through file format vulnerabilities. Additionally, implementing memory safety features such as stack canaries, address space layout randomization, and heap integrity checking can provide defense-in-depth protection against exploitation attempts.